A Commentary on the Diamond Sūtra
(Continued from previous Edition )
By Wong Weng Hon
須菩提，說法者無法可說，是名說法。
Subhūti, the preacher has no dharma to preach. This is the
really the true dharma preaching.
Commentary:
The ultimate Truth is ineffable and hence it can not be preached through words or language. Ineffability is the true nature of all phenomena. All phenomena are empty of inherent existence, without any defining characteristics or self-nature or intrinsic nature. As they are signless, markless or characteristicless, they can not be described with words or language. Therefore, no dharma can be preached as every phenomenon has no self-nature or defining characteristic because it does not exist as a discrete entity. It is important to discern the middle view that signs, marks or characteristics do not exist in the ultimate analysis but in the conventional truth, they exist illusively or apparently. Conventional truth is discriminative (vikalpena) and characterized by marks (nimittas); ultimate truth is non-discriminative (nirkalpitena) and is markless (nirnimitta). It can only be perceived by perfection of wisdom or supramundane wisdom.
若以色見我，以聲求我，是人行邪道，不能見如來。
If one sought to see me by form, and to hear me by sound, such a person has walked on the wrong path. He could not see the Tathāgata.
Commentary:
The Dharmabody of a Tathāgata is ineffable as it is not a figure or personality. It is an ineffable Truth – the highest knowledge (paramārtha-jñāna) beyond description. Therefore, it can not be seen and heard. Tathāgata is not a concrete divine personality or figure which can be perceived.
Anyone, who seeks to see and hear from Tathāgata physically, is not practising Dharma correctly. He can not see the Tathāgata. To see the Tathāgata, one should intuitively discern the ultimate Truth of all phenomena in multiplicity which is illusive and unreal. Whoever has annihilated his illusive self or ego perceives the Tathāgata. Tathāgata is the absolute Truth but
not a figure or personality which can be perceived. The absolute Truth is the perfect knowledge of non-discriminative wisdom (nirkalpitajñāna). It is the intuitive discernment of the illusion of the diversifying differentiations of the cosmos. The actuality of all phenomena is that they are empty of self-nature or of anything pertaining to self.
須菩提，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，於一切法，應如是知，如是見，如是信解，不生法相。須菩提，所言法相者，如來說即非法相，是名法相。
Subhūti, one, having generated the mind of unsurpassed supreme enlightenment and in perceiving all phenomena, ought to know thus, ought to see thus, ought to believe and understand thus, not to perceive any sign, mark or characteristic. Subhū̄ti, what is said to be sign, mark or characteristic is really not sign, mark or characteristic in the ultimate analysis. This is really the true nature of all phenomena. (Nevertheless, conventionally) it is still sign, mark or characteristic falsely conceptualized by the ordinary worldlings.
Commentary:
Whoever has generated unsurpassed supreme self- awakening or enlightenment should know, see, believe and understand the signlessness, marklessness or characteristiclessness (nirmittatā) of all phenomena. All phenomena are ultimately signless, markless or characteristicless. Emptiness of self-nature (niḥsvabhāva) is the true nature (dharmatā) of all phenomena. Nevertheless, conventionally, they are differentiated into signs, marks or characteristics to facilitate intercommunication in social intercourses. Deconstruction or negation of phenomena, revealing that all phenomena are empty of self- natures, eliminates attachment or aversion. Reconstruction or reaffirmation of phenomena is to preserve the Middle Path and conventional realities. Yogācāra sect expounds this three-fold theory of truth namely, firstly the imagined nature which is fabrication, secondly, the other-dependent nature which is Emptiness of self-nature and other nature and thirdly, the consummated nature in which both the conventional truth and the ultimate truth are acknowledged simultaneously. The phenomenon and the principle do not obstruct one another but harmoniously co-exist.
This is the consummated view of Perfection of Wisdom. The Supramundane view enhances and synergizes with mundane wisdom in which mundane wisdom merges with supramundane wisdom. The wisdom of middle view transcends the pair of extreme views of absolute eternal existence(astitva) and absolute nihilistic non-existence (nāstitva). This is the significant reason why Prof. David.J. Kalupahana of Hawaii University asserted in an anniversary assembly of the Post –graduate Institute of Pāli and Buddhist Studies of the Kelaniya University in Colombo that Diamond Sūtra is the insurrection of Early Buddhism. I’ve no hesitation to concur with his position. A study of Kaccāyanagotta-sutta (MN) will verify the wisdom of Prof. David J. Kalupahana.
一切有為法，如夢幻泡影，如露亦如電，應作如是觀。
All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, mock shows, bubbles and shadows, like dews and also like lightning. They should be thus perceived.
Commentary:
Phenomena are described as dreams, mock shows, and shadows because they are illusions and unreal in the ultimate sense.They are described as bubbles, shadows, dews and lightning because they are by nature impermanent and subject to change because they are conditioned without any permanent substance. As all phenomena are empty of self-natures or signless, markless or characteristicless, the multiplicity of the empirical world is a cosmic illusion. Perception of cosmic illusion annihilates the superimposed self or ego. Annihilation of self or ego eliminates the false self replaced by the true self which is the pure consciousness or Buddha-nature of the enlightened one. The enlightened one is the wise person who has redeemed his or her original self. Man is innately supreme in morality, concentration and wisdom. There is Buddha-nature in every man or sentient being. All sentient beings are intrinsically divine. Buddha-realization (God-realization; Truth-realization) brings forth human excellence of the highest order. All esoteric religions promulgate the same message. There are many religious masters preaching one common message, theosophically speaking. The common message of all esoteric religions is that very human being must realize that one is not the owner or proprietor of anything which he or she possesses and has legitimately gained or obtained in the ultimate sense. Conventionally and legally, of course, the owner possesses. The concept of Anattā is applied to all esoteric religions. When there is no self ultimately, how can a owner or proprietor exist? Personal selfishness or egoism is instantaneously annihilated if this ultimate Truth of Reality is discerned intuitively. The Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims learn esoterically this similar message from their religious perfect Masters. All religious saints become sages become they have discerned insightfully that the multiplicity or manifoldness the universe or cosmos is a cosmic illusion. The world is illusory or unreal. Such realization produces maximally excellent persons of supreme Wisdom.
Editor’s note:
The exegesis or the commentary on the key expressions of Diamond Sūtra has been selectively and fully presented by the writer. The comprehension of the Diamond Sūtra lies in intuitive discern of the three-fold truth of Dharma, Not Dharma and Still Dharma which corresponds with the one-mind in three contemplations: Illusion, Emptiness and Middle Path. Discernment of this three-fold truth relinquishes the four signs: the sign of self, sign of being, sign of group of beings, and sign of tri-temporal lifespan. Relinquishing these false signs is discernment of Emptiness.Discernment of Emptiness leads to non-reification of object. Non-reification of object leads to appeasement of volitions and obsessions.Non-volitions and non-obsessions engender complete mental appeasement and Nirvāṇ̣a. Mental appeasement produces a maximally excellent person who is able to harmonize himself and others.Diamond Sūtra teaches the right world-view from Buddhist vision which brings forth happiness latent in us. A lamp, kindled with fire, brings light to illuminate the path and nothing else.
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